The bottom navigation bar on Xiaomi smartphones is one of the most customized parts of the MIUI. It focuses on the Back, Home and Recent buttons, which can not only be moved, but also completely replaced with gestures, change their appearance or even add additional features. However, not all users know that the settings of these buttons are hidden in different parts of the system, from standard MIUI parameters to development modes.
In this article, we will discuss 5 working ways to change the bottom buttons on Xiaomi – from a basic change of order to a complete replacement with alternative launchers or other devices. ADB-We'll focus on the nuances for different versions. MIUI (12 to 15) and smartphone models, where the manufacturer has limited the standard options, and if you want to remove annoying animations when you press, add a lock button or even switch to gesture control, here's the solution.
Before you start making changes, consider that some methods require unlocking the bootloader or the rights of the superuser (root). We will mark these cases separately so you can assess the risks. For most tasks, Xiaomi’s standard tools will suffice, but if you need maximum customization, you can not do without additional utilities.
1. Standard MIUI settings: changing the order and appearance of the buttons
The easiest way to change the bottom buttons is to use the built-in MIUI options.This method works on all Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones with a shell version from MIUI 9 to MIUI 15, but with some limitations for new models (for example, Xiaomi 13/14 series).
To change the order of the buttons or their style:
- Open the Settings → Display.
- Select the Navigation Panel (in some versions – Navigation buttons or System Navigation).
- Options are available here: 🔄 Order of buttons: Select from the suggested schemas (e.g., Home on the left or Back on the right»). 🎨 Button style: classic icons, filled circles or minimalist lines. 🖼️ Background color: transparent, black or adaptive under wallpaper.
On Xiaomi with MIUI 14/15, some of these options can be hidden. If you don't have the Navigation Panel, try:
- 🔍 In the search for settings, enter “navigation” – the system will tell you the current path.
- 📱 In some models (for example, POCO F5) button settings moved to Settings → Additionally. → Full-screen display.
⚠️ Note: On dynamic island devices (such as Xiaomi 13 Ultra), standard navigation buttons can be disabled by default in favor of gestures. To return them, go to Settings → Display. → Full screen mode and select Navigation buttons.
2.Switching to gesture control: how to remove the buttons completely
If the bottom panel takes up useful screen space, you can replace it with gestures. There are two types of gestures available in MIUI:
- 👆 Gestures MIUI: swipe up for return to the main screen, swipe with delay for multitasking, swipe from the edge for back.
- 🤖 Android Gestures: Google’s standard navigation system (swipe from the bottom edge in the center or from the sides).
To enable gestures:
- Go to Settings → Display → Full-screen display.
- Choose Gestures and Control Type (MIUI or Android).
- Follow the hints on the screen for gesture training.
On Xiaomi with MIUI 12.5+, you can also customize your gesture sensitivity if the system doesn’t recognize swipes:
- 🔧 Go to Settings. → Additionally. → Gestures.
- 📏 Adjust the trigger zone (for example, increase the width of the swipe “Back»).
| Type of gesture | Advantages | Deficiencies |
|---|---|---|
| MIUI gestures | Quick access to multitasking, intuitive control | Conflict with certain games, require training |
| Android gestures | Universality, compatibility with most applications | Less flexible settings, a back swipe can trigger accidentally |
| Navigation buttons | The usual interface, there is no need to relearn | Take up space on the screen, outdated look |
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If, after you turn on gestures, the bottom bar is still displayed in some applications (such as games), try rebooting your smartphone, which will reset the system cache and apply the changes globally.
3.Using ADB for advanced button customization
If standard settings are not enough, you can use ADB (Android Debug Bridge) to:
- 🔄 Change the order of the buttons to non-standard circuits (for example, "Recent" → Home. → Back up»).
- 🚫 Remove unnecessary buttons (for example, leave only Home and Back»).
- ⚡ Add additional features (e.g. double-clicking on Home to start the camera).
This will require:
- Enable Developer Mode (7 times click on the MIUI version in Settings → About Phone).
- Activate USB Debugging in Settings → Additional → For developers.
- Connect your smartphone to your PC and execute commands via ADB.
Examples of teams:
Change the order of the buttons (left → right: "Back, Home, Recent")
adb shell settings put global policy_control immersive.full=*
Remove the navigation bar completely (for gestures only)
adb shell settings put global policy_control immersive.full=apps,-home,-back,-recent
Return the standard buttons
adb shell settings put global policy_control null⚠️ Attention: Misuse of the right ADB It can lead to unstable interface operation or even loss of button functionality.Before experimenting, back up your settings through Settings. → Additionally. → Backup.
What to do after ADB-Teams are missing all the buttons?
Third-party launchers: complete replacement of the bottom panel
If you need to not just change the buttons, but completely remake the bottom panel, a third-party launcher will help.
- 🌈 Nova Launcher: Supports customization of gestures, adding new buttons (e.g. calling Google Assistant or locking the screen).
- ⚡ Lawnchair: lightweight launcher with gesture support and modifiable navigation panel.
- 🔧 Microsoft Launcher: Windows integration, the ability to add buttons for quick access to the PC.
To set up the bottom panel in Nova Launcher:
- Install a launcher from Google Play.
- Click the empty space on the main screen → Settings → Docking station panel.
- Add the desired buttons (e.g., Shortcut → Action → Screen Lock).
- Turn off the standard navigation bar through Settings → System → Gestures → System navigation → Without panel.
The main advantage of this method is flexibility.
- 🎨 Change button icons to your images.
- 🔄 Assign double taps (for example, double tap on "Home" to start the flashlight).
- 📱 Add widgets to the bottom panel (weather, alarm clock, smart home control elements).
☑️ Preparation for the installation of a third-party launcher
5. Root access: maximum customization with Xposed and Magisk
For the most advanced users who are ready to get root rights, there are almost limitless possibilities, and using the Magisk or Xposed Framework modules, you can:
- 🔧 Completely redefine the actions of the buttons (for example, make a long press “Back” opens the power menu).
- 🎯 Add a third button (for example, to screenshot or launch a voice assistant).
- 🖌️ Change the animation of the press, transparency and even add haptic-response (vibration) when swiping.
Popular modules for customization:
| Module | Functions | Required. |
|---|---|---|
| Xposed Edge | Adding gestures from the edges of the screen, replacing buttons with swipes | Xposed Framework |
| Button Mapper | Reassignment of hardware and software buttons | Root or ADB |
| Fluid Navigation Gestures | Complete replacement of the navigation bar with gestures with feedback | Root |
On Xiaomi smartphones with MediaTek processors (like the Redmi Note 12 or POCO M5), unlocking the bootloader can cause data loss on the internal drive. Always back up before getting root!
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Root access gives you maximum freedom, but it gives you no security and increases the risk of disrupting the stability of the system, and only use this method if other options do not work.
Specific problems and solutions
When you change the bottom buttons on Xiaomi, users often face typical problems.
🔹 Buttons do not respond to pressing
If the navigation panel has stopped working after the changes:
- 🔄 Reboot your smartphone – it will reset temporary errors.
- 🔧 Check if the third-party launcher conflicts with system settings (disable it in Settings). → Annexes).
- 🛠️ Reset your gesture settings through Settings → System system → Resetting settings → Reset the interface settings.
🔹 No changes in the order of the buttons are kept
On some models (e.g. Xiaomi 11T) the order of the buttons is reset after the reboot.
- 📋 Use it. ADB-command for forced application of settings (see Section 3).
- 🔒 Turn off battery optimization for Launcher in Settings → Battery → Optimizing the battery.
🔹 Gestures work incorrectly in games
If swipes conflict with game management (e.g. PUBG Mobile or Genshin Impact):
- 🎮 Turn on Game Mode in the Notification Curtain – This Will Turn Off System Gestures.
- 🔄 Switch to Navigation buttons in the display settings before starting the game.